USJ-R is Cebu's primer Institute of Higher Learning. It is recognized by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education as a Center for Excellence in Teacher Education and Accountancy and a Center for Development in Information and Communication Technology and Industrial Engineering. USJ-R was founded by the Order of Augustinian Recollects in 1947 as the Colegio de San Jose - Recoletos. To date, USJ-R remains under OAR management.